Page 51 of Clara's Secure Hideaway

“What if I go?” Heath asked. “The kids know me. They trust me. I can get them out and bring them back to you.”

“I think that’s the best option,” Owen cut in. “You can stay here, and Heath will be in constant contact.”

“No.” She folded her arms across her chest, issuing a silent challenge to everyone in the room. “I’m not asking for permission. I’m telling you, I want to be there.”

Owen opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him with narrowed eyes.

“What if it was Nora?” she asked, speaking of Owen’s little girl. “Would Marie stay behind. Would she sit here and worry and wait while someone else searched for her child?”

Owen scrubbed a hand down his face and sighed. “No, she wouldn’t.”

“And neither would I. Heath will go in the house, and I’ll wait in the car. And nothing anyone says will change my mind.”

Owen held up a hand. “But, if she understood that her presence could potentially risk an FBI operation, as well as put more than her children at danger, she would make the difficult decision to stay behind and trust the professionals. Whether she liked it or not.”

The slump in Clara’s shoulders told Heath she saw Owen’s logic, even if she didn’t want to. He rested a hand on her forearm, drawing her attention his way. “You’re still a target, honey. Mitch wants to get his hands on you, and sitting around in a car by yourself gives him the perfect opportunity to get you. I played into his hands before, I don’t want to do that again. Please. Stay here so my mind isn’t divided between you and the kids.”

Tears dripped over her long lashes. “I hate this, but you’re right. I’ll stay and trust you to bring them home.”

19

Tiny specks of snow dotted the windshield, and the wipers charged to life as Heath sat in the back of Owen’s cruiser. Twilight crept in, the sun racing toward the edge of the earth. Deep purple, the color of Clara’s bruises, covered the sky.

His gut wrenched at the thought of her. She’d clung to him before he’d left her behind, but as hard as it’d been to walk away, it was the right decision. She was safe at the sheriff’s station with enough security to keep Mitch away and a deputy on guard just in case.

Unease skittered down Heath’s spine as he ran over the plan on repeat in his head. He’d been a sheriff’s deputy for years and had been on countless task forces. He’d done everything from taking down bad guys to rescuing kittens in trees, but he’d never been so terrified as they drove behind the other unmarked cars toward an unknown location in the middle of the woods.

His phone rang, and Clara’s number on his screen was no surprise. If he was a ball of nerves, she was a strobing disco ball about to explode. He drew in a steadying breath then answered. “Hey.”

“Sorry,” Clara said. “I know you left a few minutes ago but I’m going out of my mind. Where are you?”

“Owen, Tommy, Sadie and I are a few miles outside of town. Agent Tinsdale is ahead of us with two more FBI agents.”

“I know I can’t be there, it sucks, but I get it. Can you at least tell me the plan again? Give me something to focus on to help me calm down?”

He replayed it through his mind quickly, wanting to get the details straight. “Owen and I will park at the front of the house, far enough away that no one inside can see us, while Tinsdale drives to the back of the property.”

“How can she park in the back of the property if it’s in the woods?” Clara asked.

He shrugged even though she couldn’t see him. “The property isn’t too big, and there’s an old mining road that cuts across the back of it. That’s her best bet. Once we’re all in position, we’ll move in, flanking the house from all sides.” The more he spoke, the more relaxed his muscles became. He’d trained for this, knew how to operate under the extreme stress and emotion.

“If children are in the house, if they’re being held there, how do you get them out without anyone being hurt?”

He hated the fear weighing down her voice, hated even more that he didn’t have an answer that would erase that fear. “Hopefully once we sneak up to the house, we can gain a better understanding of what’s going on inside and determine their locations to the best of our ability. With six armed lawmen, we can move efficiently. While they’re handling any obstacles, I’ll search for the children.”

“And what if they use the children as shields? Or they run? Or they’re armed and decide they’d rather take out as many people as possible, including themselves, rather than be tried for their crimes?”

“Tommy will be outside, keeping watch and alert us if anyone is outside the house or takes off running. As for the other stuff…” he squeezed his eyes shut for a beat, wishing he had an answer. “All I can promise is that we’re highly trained professionals. Our intent is to get everyone out safely. And I promise you, I would give my own life to protect Davey and Avery.”

She sniffled. “I don’t know what I did to deserve to have you walk into my life, but when this is all over, I hope you know how lucky I feel to have you beside me and my kids.”

Her words warmed a cold, dark place inside him. He longed to tell her how hard he’d fallen for her months ago, but he had to stay focused. Had to keep his mind sharp and thoughts squared solely on the mission ahead.

But when Davey and Avery where safely home, he couldn’t wait to let down all his walls and see what a future with Clara and her kids would bring.

“Tinsdale needs a few minutes to get in place,” Owen said, breaking into his moment with Clara. “Tommy’s jumping out in a second. He wants to find a good spot to keep watch. If we’re lucky, he’ll be able to give us some intel on what to expect inside.”

Emotion wedged inside Heath’s throat. “I’ve got to go. Keep your phone on you. As soon as I get a chance to let you know what’s going on, I’ll either call or text you. Don’t be too worried if it takes some time. We’ll move slowly and with intention. Like Tinsdale said before, no rushing in first and thinking later.”

---